Cory Booker says Democrats have ‘failed this moment’ and calls for new leaders

Cory Booker, the Democratic senator from New Jersey, renewed his calls for new leadership of the Democratic Party, saying the party has “failed this moment”.“As a whole, our party has failed this moment,” Booker said on Sunday. “I’ve called for a generational renewal, because this left-right divide is killing our country and our adversaries know it.” He also said that “purity tests” within the party have led to more division in the US.During an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Booker also said the Democratic Party has “too small of a coalition”, especially as the party seeks to confront “new challenges”, including Trump administration policies and the expansion of artificial intelligence and technology.Booker’s comments come amid growing divisions within the party, as frustration with Democratic senator Chuck Schumer grows. Some Democrats, specifically on the more progressive wing of the party, have discussed replacing Schumer, the minority leader, as midterm elections approach. Progressive senators reportedly see Schumer as an impediment to change for the party, due to his centrist politics, and as an obstacle to standing up to Donald Trump.The Wall Street Journal reported last week that some senators, including Chris Murphy from Connecticut, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota have been having conversations with colleagues, expressing frustration with Schumer and discussing strategies to remove him from his leadership position.The Journal reported that some lawmakers had been doing informal counts to see whether there may be enough votes to remove Schumer from his role.Concern and frustration with Schumer is, according to the report, widespread within the party, with many speculating on how to pressure him to step aside. Some Senate Democrats have pushed Schumer to commit to retiring in 2028.Last fall, the New York Times reported that a group of progressive senators, including Smith, Murphy and Warren and others, are in a Signal chat dubbed the “Fight Club”, seeking to counter centrist candidates favored by Schumer in the lead-up to this year’s midterm elections.But during Sunday’s State of the Union show on CNN, Senator Andy Kim countered accusations that the Democratic Party is divided, saying “this is the most united I’ve ever seen the Senate Democrats,” and adding that he supports Schumer and Democratic leadership “right now”.During Sunday’s interview, Booker also discussed a potential presidential run. When pressed, he said he is “definitely not ruling out” running for president again.His current book tour has fueled speculation that Booker is looking to run for president again. The title of his newest book, Stand, is a reference to his record-setting filibuster last year in the Senate, during which he addressed the Trump administration’s policies for 25 hours.During his Meet the Press appearance, Booker also addressed the US-Israel war on Iran, questioning the Trump administration’s plan to move forward with the conflict. Booker did not directly reject the US government’s involvement in Iran, but criticized the administration’s handling of it. He also discussed the partial government shutdown and ongoing negotiations in the Senate, saying he refuses to vote for any more funding towards Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency tasked with Trump’s anti-immigrant operations.“Americans want a new generation of leaders that show that they can lift the whole country up,” Booker added. “It is time for a new vision of our country that is far more uniting that brings people together, doesn’t deepen divides.”